title: Bartonella species infection in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over 22 Bartonella species have been described in mammals, and Bartonella henselae is most common worldwide. Cats are the main reservoir for this bacterium. B henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease in man, a self-limiting regional lymphadenopathy, but also of other potentially fatal disorders in immunocompromised people.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  B henselae is naturally transmitted among cats by the flea Ctenocephalides felis felis, or by flea faeces. A cat scratch is the common mode of transmission of the organism to other animals, including humans. Blood transfusion also represents a risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Most cats naturally infected by B henselae do not show clinical signs but cardiac (endocarditis, myocarditis) or ocular (uveitis) signs may be found in sporadic cases. B vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii infection has reportedly caused lameness in a cat affected by recurrent osteomyelitis and polyarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Isolation of the bacterium is the gold standard, but because of the high prevalence of infection in healthy cats in endemic areas, a positive culture (or polymerase chain reaction) is not confirmatory. Other compatible diagnoses must be ruled out and response to therapy gives a definitive diagnosis. Serology (IFAT or ELISA) is more useful for exclusion of the infection because of the low positive predictive value (39-46%) compared with the good negative predictive value (87-97%). Laboratory testing is required for blood donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment is recommended in the rare cases where Bartonella actually causes disease.
authors.affiliation: European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases. pennipet@unime.it
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pennisi
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsilio
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lloret
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Addie
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belák
authors.forename: Corine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boucraut-Baralon
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egberink
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frymus
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gruffydd-Jones
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosie
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Möstl
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Radford
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiry
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Truyen
authors.forename: Marian C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Horzinek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001473:Bartonella / Q000145:classification*; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002415:Cats; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial